St. Lucian convicted in cocaine bust

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Published on Tuesday, 11 September 2012 08:16

Written by Toni Frederick

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Basseterre, St. Kitts (WINN):  Two St. Lucian nationals charged in relation to a recent drug bust in St. Kitts have appeared before the Court.

Fifty six year old Vincent Clerice and 42 year old Nixon Alexander, both of Marigot, St. Lucia had been charged for Possession of Cocaine, Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Supply to Another and Importation of Cocaine into the Federation; the offences committed on September 1st.

Clerice pled Guilty for all three charges.  The charges against Alexander, who pled Not Guilty to all three, were withdrawn. 

Clerice has been convicted for Importation of Cocaine into the Federation and sentenced to two years hard labour.  He was also fined EC$ 1, 000,000 to be paid in nine months.  If he defaults he will have to serve four additional years in prison with hard labour on completion of the two years served.  There were no further convictions on the other charges.

The Magistrate also ordered the vessel involved with the transshipment of the cocaine be forfeited to the Crown, advertised in the local media for sale and sold at a public auction.  

It was also ordered that Nixon Alexander be deported to St. Lucia.  He was deported the following day (September 6th).

On September 1st a joint patrol of the Police Drug Unit, the Defense Force and the Dutch Navy, on board the Dutch Coast Guard vessel HNLMS Tromp, observed persons on the sailing vessel Sinestra Prove dumping packages into the sea off St. Kitts’ Old Road Bay.

The Sinestra Prove was intercepted by the local coast guard, and over 100 packages of cocaine – many labeled with various brand names - were confiscated.  

A press release from Police issued Monday indicates that the 134.108 kilograms had an estimated street value of ECC $11, 816, 255.00.  

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